Works in Progress

We are having an end of summer heat wave here in California. Blah. It has been 104 to 109 this past week... with another week of yucky temperatures to come. I guess I'm longing for colder weather-- because I've started a lot of new crocheting projects. I saw online someone had made little birds out of small crocheted circles. I thought they were super cute....yep... this is as far as I've gotten with those....yawn....

I then spotted a small stool online covered with a crocheted medallion of sorts. That was a fun project for a little while... yep, got bored with that... Had.To.Stop.

 My daughter had mentioned that it looked like a soft Frisbee- that is all the rage. So, I googled it... and of course I had to make at least one right? But first I had to make a pattern...

It was a lot of trial and error with creating my own pattern. But after ripping out stitches and reworking it I finally had something that looked like a soft Frisbee.....
Well, you know how it goes, I just can't make one of anything. So far, I've made six... 

Surprisingly I'm enjoying making these. I did fling one down the hallway in my house to see if it would fly... I think it flies better than a plastic Frisbee. I've got plans to make some in my grandkids school colors and whatever other colors they would like.

With the extremely hot temperatures outside I've been wetting down my outdoor kitties with wet face cloths to help them tolerate the heat. I was worried about my feral cat Barney because he pants when he is hot. None of my other cats do that. He and I have become fast friends and he let me soak him down good-style, I'm talking drenched. I did this every couple of hours and then noticed he was taking the matter in his own paws... and was rolling around in a wet/muddy spot caused by my drip system.

I am in the process of pulling up the brick patio by my front door and relaying it... that is, before the intense heat wave started. This is one outdoor project that is on hold until it gets considerably cooler!

 Barney is enjoying laying in the cool mud... By morning he will be spotless clean once again and then throughout the day he will get muddier and muddier as the day goes on. Pretty smart kitty~ Here he is giving the other cat a Raspberry....

Barney eats pretty good at my house. Of course he gets wet and dry cat food, but he also gets cooked chicken and tri-tip. I normally feed my cats on vintage china plates but they are all in the dishwasher.
I'm able to pick up Barney now and set him on my lap for about a minute at a time. He still gets nervous if I make eye contact with him when I am holding him. He acts like he is going to scratch me so I have to make sure to look away... funny ol' cat.... it is a slow process but worth it.
big hugs,
Cheryl

Treasures

What a lazy summer I've been having... emphasis  on LAZY.  I feel like I've not gotten anything of tremendous importance done.... wait, I have been spending long-lazy-afternoons sitting on the grass petting my feral cat Barney. I've also been teaching him how to play with toys. He is picking that up ever-so-slowly. Barney is becoming quite friendly (to me anyway) and loves a belly rub, which is very surprising for a feral cat to roll over on his back with his tummy exposed. I guess I can say that I have been "working very hard" at taming a wild beast! Along with all that hard work I've been doing *wink* I have been acquiring more treasures. I hit the mother load of lanterns all at one yard sale. These three... caute~

 Plus these five....

 plus these four....

 All twelve for only $20. I also got another mannequin/dress form torso for only $5.00, I think it is from an Eddie Bauer store. I'm thinking about recover the form with burlap.... which will be adorable.

 Loads of junk jewelry.... half a box full...

 a bag full...

and a whole bunch of other containers of jewelry too! All of the jewelry combined was only $15. I've gone through it and I'd say about 40% was usable to me, the other 60% I'll bag up and resell at a yard sale.
I also bought a HUGE lot of brand new jewelry findings. I always think I need it ALL!!!.... but, when I finally go through it, I find myself thinking, "I'll never use this!" I guess I could fire up my Etsy site and resell it there... because you know... I. Had. To. Have. It. All.

There are some Mad Hatter charms, a lot of bezels, beautiful beads, rhinestones, skull beads...on and on...

There are a few things I'm not sure I'm going to use/keep.... like all of the different colored chains and clasps.... No harm in adding them to my every growing stash- for now anywho~

Some of the beads and charms are so darn cute! Other things, all usable, but I have no use for- but "had" to have. What did I pay for all of these fabulous new jewelry findings? Only $25 bucks.

Sounds pricey, but just one strand of beads had a price tag of $10.00 on it and there was three of those in the lot..... Out of all of these fun items I'd say that I am keeping about half of it. Still a great value :-)

Well, I had better get offline and get to work... and by work, I mean go pet my feral cat Barney. *wink*
big hugs,
Cheryl

Swimming Dog

I had bought my dog Akira a dog life jacket so she could swim in our pool. You could tell she was scared of the water and never wanted to swim past the first step. Now, she has finally learned to swim with confidence and without a life jacket. So much so, that she goes into the pool and does a few laps all by herself even though we are not pool-side with her. She is a sneaky-sneak and has figured out she can swim to the side seat we have in our pool and hop out and get to an area she is blocked from getting to. Bad doggy!

 I wouldn't mind her over there, but she likes to eat the bark-- and she thinks she is a decorator and likes to move things around. Silly girl. Often times there is so much splashed water on the pool deck I think she has had some doggy friends over for a pool party... but its just her having a gay-old-time all by herself. Here she is getting ready to get back into the pool...

 "Don't push me crocodile!"

 If you notice she has a plastic soda bottle in her mouth.

 I spend tons of money on "dog toys" and all she wants is plastic bottles.

 She brings them to the steps then lets them float away--- and goes back in after them....

Rescued bottle once again back at the steps...

She is one clean dog!
Once she is semi-dry I let her come back inside and get in her dog crate..... and then I turn on her personal fan and she takes a nap until she is ready to do it all over again. She isn't spoiled, just deeply loved. *wink*
big hugs,
Cheryl